Writer, Reader, Reviewer

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'Rapeseed'September, 2013

A colorful, cross-cultural novel of synesthesia, moving abroad, and self-discovery, Rapeseed was named a finalist for Book of the Year in General Fiction by Foreword Reviews.

"A tender and evocative novel about the slippery nature of home and inheritance, an unflinching but ultimately hopeful examination of the sneaky distances that form between neighbors, between sisters, between husband and wife, and child and parent. Nancy Freund writes with authority and charm."

-- Nick Dybek, author of When Captain Flint Was Still a Good Man

"Nancy Freund'sRapeseed is a rich portrait of an American family beset by displacement -- by history, by geography, and psychology, from relatives and nations and individual minds. Yet in their struggles to remain true to where they come from while making the most of where they are, her expatriate family, the Coopers, are in so many ways like all of us, and we are lucky to have their example in the form of this smart, sharply observed debut." -- Steve Himmer, author of The Bee-loud Glade

"In her debut novel rapeseed, Nancy Freund explores the phenomenon of synesthesia and manages to delight all of our senses with her vibrant prose. As Freund weaves and unravels the secrets of an American family living abroad in England, she takes care to consider the many ways a parent can not only harm but also save a child. Rapeseed is a novel of resilience and heart, of teenaged indiscretions and marital discontentment. With humor and reverence, Freund's characters strive to reconcile their childhood traumas with their adult longings. This moving portrayal of a family in crisis reveals Nancy Freund to be a writer of boundless compassion."

-- Amber Dermont, New York Times bestselling author of The Starboard Sea

'Global Home Cooking'November, 2014

41 countries, 140 recipes, from 102 international families. This compilation of wonderful family recipes from all over the world is a loving tribute to the spirit of sharing and global home cooking.'Global Home Cooking' was given an honorable mention in the 2015 Eric Hoffer Book Award

"What is Patriotism but the love of the good things we ate in our childhood."

-- Lin Yutang

"Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody."-- Samuel Pepys

'Mailbox'May, 2015

AAn unconventional coming-of-age jigsaw of short stories, 'Mailbox' was named a Foreword Reviews finalist for 2015 Young Adult Book of the Year INDIEFAB Award, indieBRAG medallion honoree, and Writer's Digest Honorable Mention in Middle-Grade/Young Adult Fiction.

"As with all of Freund's prose, there is a wonderful energy and humor to the writing. Mailbox is a fantastic piece of fiction and as true to life as a careful documentary."

-- Michelle Bailat-Jones, author of Fog Island Mountains.

"A charming novel, full of honesty and insight, Mailbox is shot through with the mystery and mischief of childhood, and the struggles -- and victories -- of growing up. Compulsively readable."

-- Meg Gardiner, Edgar award winning author.

"In vignettes that bring to mind Sandra Cisneros' masterpiece The House on Mango Street, Nancy Freund's Mailbox tells an engaging, sensitive, and at times very funny coming-of-age story. Her protagonist, Sandy Drue, is a hyper-articulate, charming narrator who with a few stumbles, a couple of deaths in the family, and one crazy conflict in a haunted house, comes to understand truths about herself, her family, and the world around her. This is a book for both the young and old, parents and children. Anyone with a heart that feels and a head full of questions will find great wisdom and many warm moments to cherish in Freund's lovely tale."

-- Brian Gresko, editor of When I First Held You: 22 Critically Acclaimed Writers Talk about the Triumphs, Challenges, and Transformative Experience of Fatherhood

Summer Reading Recommendations

Are you looking for suggestions to add to your summer reading list? Feel free to check out my recommendations to keep you inspired this coming holiday.

Mt. McKinley, Alaska

HUGE thank you to Dr. Mary D. Albanese, for the above lines in the email that arrived today with this photo. Mary literally (yes, literally!) wrote the book on Alaska, AND she got dropped by a helicopter when it was uncharted and mapped the place herself. Her memoir 'Midnight Sun, Arctic Moon: Mapping the Wild Heart of Alaska' details those days beautifully. Seeing Rapeseed in her hand there is such an honor.

May, 2014

Boerne, Texas

Read 'em, Cowboy! Actor extraordinaire, Jon Michael Davis, takes a break to read Rapeseed while on set of The Adventures of Pepper and Paula. I love seeing the book in exotic, far-flung places, but I never expected a Rapeseed travel pic going back in time to the Wild West. Awesome shot, JMD!

October, 2013

Israel

Gorgeous sky over Israel, lovely doggie checking out Rapeseed in the hands of my South African friend Mandi, who's holding Swedish reader Maria's copy, borrowed from Switzerland. In this shot, the book is just a tiny piece of a big beautiful scene... as books so often are, in our lives.

October, 2013

Moscow, Russia

Rapeseed gets read in Red Square, Moscow. Seeing those gorgeous gloves holding the book there warms my heart. "Spasibo" to Canadian reader Colleen Hamilton for this one.

November, 2013

Bristol, England

Tea and reading... Jill and David Liddiatt, who launched my love affair with England, as my Rotary Exchange hosts when I was fifteen. Big thank you to my great friend and "English sister" Penny for this gorgeous photo!

October, 2013

Fairway, Kansas

Bonnie Baker Boyles sent this one of Rapeseed's bookstore debut in one of my favorite indie book stores, Rainy Day Books -- FACE OUT display, even! And it's shelved there among such good company.

September, 2013

Geneva, Switzerland

Reading for the Geneva Writers Group, and was treated to a spontaneous gift of this drawing one of our very talented members did while I read. She tore it out of her notebook and gave it to me as we said good-bye in the parking lot at the Press Club that afternoon. What a treasure!

December, 2013

Positano, Italy

Sirenland Writers Conference,

Shot from the hotel room balcony at Le Sirenuse before reading at Antonio and Carla Sersale's gorgeous home. This copy now has a heartfelt thank you note iinscribed in the front to Andre Dubus III and was hand-delivered to his beautiful wife, Fontaine.(Lesson learned about reading from a published book instead of a 14-point print-out: those little squiggles on the page do exactly what they did to Chip during his speech in the novel). Art imitates life, and then it bounces back and whacks you in the face. Happily struggled through, in any case!)

April, 2014.

Miami, Florida

Fictional Chip Cooper is a 14-year-old boy, but this kid was 8 when I started the novel. Now he passed Chip and is reading it at long last, dockside.

April, 2014.

Los Angeles, California

Beach read! I think that lifeguard is racing down to read a chapter with Debby Kirby. That copy of Rapeseed traveled MILES to Los Angeles from Bristol, England.

April, 2014.

Got a picture for the Wall of Fame? Email your favorite selfie with 'Rapeseed,' 'Global Home Cooking' or 'Mailbox' to [email protected] and we'll post it! These books love to travel.